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Watauga Democrats Infuse At Least $1,500 into Two Blowing Rock Small Businesses

Democratic Party Cash Mob Filled the aisles of The Blowing Rock Hardware Stone in Blowing Rock NC spending over $800.00 in one hour to support local shop owners. Photo by Lonnie Webster

July 30, 2012. On Saturday, July 28, Watauga County Democrats crowded into Village Hardware in Blowing Rock for its first-ever county “Cash Mob” and then went to lunch as a group at another small business, Papa Joe’s Italian-American Restaurant. 

“This is one of the best community-building events I’ve ever attended,” said John Welch, candidate for the Watauga County Commission, who joined the Cash Mob with his wife Christy. “Everybody needs something from a hardware store, and you feel good buying local. Everybody is having a great time!” 

Democratic Party Cash Mob Filled the aisles of The Blowing Rock Hardware Stone in Blowing Rock NC spending over $800.00 in one hour to support local shop owners. Photo by Lonnie Webster

We were hoping for a good turn-out, and we got it,” said Cash Mob organizer Marsha Walpole, who is also Volunteer Coordinator for the Watauga County Democratic Party. “I don’t think we could have gotten many more people into Village Hardware, and we filled an entire banquet room at Papa Joe’s.”

Cullie Tarleton, candidate for the NC House, joined the Cash Mob with his wife Sylvia, and Watauga County School Board candidates Jay Fenwick, Barbara Kinsey, and Brenda Reese also participated in the shopping extravaganza.

Democratic Party Cash Mob descends on Papa Joe’s Restaurant in Blowing Rock NC with huge appitites in support of Mom and Pop small businesses. Photo by Lonnie Webster

“We plan many more of these Cash Mobs in different parts of the county,” said Walpole. “We have many great local businesses that we want to support, and this is a fun way to do it.”